HK Tourist Association Launches International Website

The Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) on November 29 launched an international version of its new tourist website to target more international tourists and promote Hong Kong's image as a "City of Life."

The website, DiscoverHongKong.com, is consistent with the look and feel of HKTA's "City of Life" campaign and incorporates typography, compelling color and image selection, said Tony Tse, acting HKTA deputy executive director.

The customer-friendly website has become more personalized and has a higher level of interactivity, and most important, is easier to navigate and communicates the wealth of experiences available in Hong Kong, said Tse.

Each section of the website is color-coded with self- explanatory names, such as the "Must Know" section, which provides generic information for all kinds of travelers.

There are also detailed sections on travel "must haves," such as shopping, dining and sightseeing as well as tips on trips to the Chinese mainland using Hong Kong as the gateway, Tse said.

Elaborate and dynamic sections focus on events and festivals and products and attractions, with links to organizers and service providers. There are also pages dedicated to special needs.

In the second phase of the building of the website, which is set for December 2000, an Interactive Gallery and a revamped Meetings, Trade & Media section should be added. Content is also being tailored to regional needs with seven regional English versions and 10 localized language sites, according to Tse.

DiscoverHongKong.com comes at a time when tourism to Hong Kong is booming, said Tse. According to statistics given by HKTA, visitor arrivals to Hong Kong are now running at record levels and having rebounded from the Asian economic crisis from early 1999.

For the period from January to September 2000, tourist arrivals totaled 9,520,155, an increase of 16.2 percent over the same period of last year. And the forecast for the year 2000 as a whole is 12.5 million.






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